about me and my social media workshops

I write YA novels for guys that girls like to read too. About normal kids who have abnormal things happen to them. Thriller, horror, slipstream, psychologically dark, edgy–that’s where I hang out. Here’s my website and blog for the audience I like to write for:

Also established WebSmart Writers, with the mission to present techie workshops for writers (and others)

WORDPRESS WORKOUT–Hands-on session which will leave you with your own brand-spanking-new WordPress site. I’ll walk you through registration, setup, and how to design your look. We’ll talk headers, menus and widgets, posts and pages. Also demystify buzz-words like SEO, pingbacks and analytics, and discuss the difference between wordpress.com and wordpress.org. In two hours you’ll have your own corner of The Web.

WINNING PINNING ON PINTEREST–Learn the Art of Pinning. We’ll look at how the Pinterest site works and who you’ll find there. Then we’ll talk about how to create an appealing profile, pin from your toolbar and obtain a “verified” account. We’ll compare public, group and secret boards—how to set them up and when to use each. Analytics, PInterest rss feeds and pinning strategies–we’ll cover it all in about an hour. I joined Pinterest when I was invited to be a beta tester, and have enjoyed being part of its evolution.

TUMBLR: HANG OUT WITH THE COOL KIDS–Teens are abandoning Facebook in droves. Where have they gone? Tumblr! We’ll talk about picking an alluring url and theme and explore the functions of the dashboard. Then we’ll discuss what to blog and reblog from your laptop, email, phone and smartphone. Learn effective following—how to find Tumblrs to follow and how to up the chances of gaining followers, maybe even get your Tumblr spotlighted by Tumblr staff. We’ll round out the class with Group, Private and Multiple Tumblrs, tagging and tracking—and of course, analytics–to make Tumblr a tool to grow your audience. A one-hour presentation or two-hour hands-on workshop.

iPHONE: THE LAPTOP IN YOUR POCKET–You can do more with your iPhone than text and fling livid birds at clueless pigs. One iPhone Google search uses the same computer power as the Apollo space program. Use this tool to write anywhere, anytime. We’ll discuss choosing a Bluetooth keyboard and how to sync it to your phone. Go over the apps you’ll need to write, edit, save, share and print your manuscript. We’ll talk about The Cloud–what it is and how to jump into it. And discuss how to choose quality apps. I’m an iPhone apps connoisseur, with articles published in print and online, including THE SCBWI BULLETIN. Other iPhone presentations include: USE YOUR iPHONE TO BREAK WRITER’S BLOCK ♦ iPHONE APPS FOR WRITERLY MARKETING AND BUSINESS NEEDS ♦ YOUR iPHONE’S WRITERIFIC RESEARCH APPS. (Information will translate to most smartphones.)

Just to shake things up, I write flash fiction under the pen name A.Q. Wagner, so some of those puppies are published and floating around out there. Why confuse the situation with an alternate personae? Because Young Adult writers must leave room for hope. When I write flash fiction under my pen name, I don’t have to leave room for anything.

There’s also Sub It Club, the brainchild of Heather Ayris Burnell, that Dana Carey and I helped start. There are boards and Facebook and Pinterest along with the blog. Check Heather’s amazing monthly contest round up.

And finally, I produce the weekly frequently amusing but always informational KidLit Scoop, a link round-up of news that affects children’s publishing and those who write for it. With ridiculous narrative from my fevered brain woven through it. You can sign up for it on my homepage, or right here:

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KIDLIT SCOOP

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